Leak exposes congressional ethics investigations

NY Post ^ | October 30, 2009 | AP

[Scanian]

WASHINGTON -- Internal investigations into the conduct of over two dozen House members have been exposed in an extraordinary, Internet-era breach of security involving the secretive process by which Congress polices lawmaker ethics.

Revelations of the mostly preliminary inquiries by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct — also known as the Ethics committee — and a panel that refers cases to it shook the chamber as lawmakers were immersed in a series of scheduled votes Thursday.

The panel announced that it was investigating two California Democrats — Reps. Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson — even as its embarrassed leaders took pains to explain that several other lawmakers also were identified in the leaked confidential committee memo but may have done nothing wrong.

[freeangel]

I doubledare the ethical ethics committee to do anything to a democrat.

[Scanian]

Which is precisely why the leak was just what the doctor ordered; the whole thing would have been supressed had it not leaked out.

[Quiller]

Congressional ethics.

Now THAT'S an oxymoron.

[Venturer]

Exactly. There is a big difference between a half hearted investigation and any punishment for the guilty.

Look at the way the situation with Senator dodd was handled.

Yes: They investigate, but they spend more time over the words they pick to exonerate, than they do on their investigation.

[Bender2]

Finding 'ethics' in our Democrat majority 'Congress' will be a more difficult search than the one for the Higgs boson God particle.

I have faith in my Congress for I have... a gift!

Whatever, I just wish... he'd stop stealing my clothes--

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Precisely, which is why it is curious why there is an "investigation" anyway. It's probably a whitewash rather than an investigation.

These Dims in congress are all crooks.

[napscoordinator]

I want them to do something to the Democrats AND the Republicans on that list.

[Thank You Rush]

I don’t understand how this can be a leak as it’s been on the internet for months....